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IRL poised for thrilling finish

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The Associated Press

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 10, 2009

HOMESTEAD - Scott Dixon has this unshakable feeling, that the three remaining contenders for the IndyCar championship will enter the final turn of the season having decided nothing.

An epic, three-car, fight-to-the-finish for the IRL title and a $1 million bonus?

Don't be surprised to see that happen today (4 p.m., Versus) at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Dixon says.

"With no doubt, I think it's going to be exciting," he said.

They're three different guys with three different stories, and when the checkered flag falls on the Indy 300, only one will collect what he came to Homestead to get. Upstart Ryan Briscoe, 2007 IRL king Dario Franchitti and defending champion Dixon are separated by only eight points heading into the finale, one of the closest races in IndyCar history.

Dixon enters as the leader, four points ahead of teammate Franchitti - who gained a point by winning the pole in Friday qualifying - and eight ahead of Briscoe. It's the 32nd straight top-10 start for Dixon, matching the IRL record.

"It would be great to be in a position to go to the last race and just know that by completing the first lap you would win the championship," said Mike Hull, the managing director for Target Chip Ganassi Racing, which has both Dixon and Franchitti in its stable. "But based on the way we have raced all year, that wouldn't be fair."

For Dixon and Franchitti, the scenario is simple: Win the race, win the IRL title. Briscoe - part of Penske Racing's powerhouse program - would probably take the seasonlong championship if he wins the race, although bonus points could theoretically keep Dixon on top.

Each of the three say they're not worrying about the math. To them, it's just another week, another race to try to win.

"It's great to have won it once in 2007," Franchitti said. "But my focus is really just on this championship."

Only once have the IRL standings been closer in terms of the points gap between first and third with one race to go, and that was in 2003 - the year Dixon held a seven-point lead over Helio Castroneves and Tony Kanaan and made it hold up for the championship.

"We're still going for three as far as championships," Dixon said. "But three in a row would have definitely been key."

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